


M.I.A. (Missing In Avoidance)

by beary_scary



Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU (Comics), Red Robin (Comics)
Genre: Angst, Anxiety, Bad Parents Jack and Janet Drake, Brotherly comfort, Depression, Hurt Tim Drake, Hurt/Comfort, Low Self-Esteem, Mentions of drugs, Protective Jason Todd, Suicidal Ideation, Tim Drake is Not Okay, mentions of abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-05
Updated: 2020-08-05
Packaged: 2021-03-06 08:00:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,546
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25719967
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beary_scary/pseuds/beary_scary
Summary: Timothy Drake was missing for two weeks when Jason Todd got intel that the missing bird was in Nevada. What he finds in the small town will shock him and change his view of his little brother.Will Tim return home or did the little bird fall too far from the nest?
Relationships: Tim Drake & Dick Grayson & Jason Todd & Bruce Wayne & Damian Wayne, Tim Drake & Jason Todd
Comments: 5
Kudos: 174





	1. L0$T

**Author's Note:**

> This was a story that I started in 2016 but I am now re-writing in 2020. Oh boy.
> 
> Jason (Red Hood): 21
> 
> Tim (Red Robin): 19

Jason, dressed as Red Hood, sighed once again, "Dammit, Babybird."

_"Hood, you there?"_

Red Hood answered his comm. as looked he down at the multiple alleyways below him. He was perched on the top of the Wayne Tower as it had the best view in the whole city of Gotham.

"Yeah, I'm here."

_"Still no sign of him…"_

Red Hood clenched his fist and bit down on it as hard as he could without breaking a tooth.

No sign of him.

Still not found.

He's still missing.

Where the hell is he?

_"Hood?"_

Jason almost forgot about Dick on the comm. as he was more focussed on the rampant thoughts running through his mind.

"Still here." He replied.

 _"Look, I know you're worried, I am too! But…just-"_ Jason could hear the exhausted sigh Dick released over the comm. and silently reminded himself that the whole family was hurting because of this event, not just him. _"just know that we'll find him."_

Yet Jason couldn't help but be pessimistic, "But how will we find him? You know about his problems. I just hope he hasn't done anything he'd regret."

 _"I know, Littlewing. We've got everyone on the look-out, we'll find him."_ Dick sounded so sure of himself that Jason would feel even worse if he disagreed with the elder hero.

"Yeah. Yeah, I guess so." Before Dick could say anything else, Jason tore the communicator out of his ear and threw it off of the side of the building. "But I'm gonna find him using my own way." Jason glared out at the dark night sky before firing his grapple-gun to a nearby building and swinging to the roof-tops.

~~ ******************* ~~

It's been two weeks and Timothy Drake is still missing.

It's been two weeks and Red Robin has not been seen.

It's been two weeks and Jason does not know where the fuck his little brother is.

Two weeks and you can faintly see the worry on Damian's face.

Two weeks and Dick has been worried sick.

Two weeks and Bruce has kept all emotions tucked inside.

Where is Tim? He always reports on time, he never allows himself to be late and his apartment is always in mint condition.

When Jason went over to his apartment to check on him, it was a mess.

No one has seen the youngest Drake.

~~ ******************* ~~

Red Hood finally arrived in Henderson, Nevada. Why Nevada? Because he tracked Tim's last phone call to a warehouse on the south side of Gotham. In the warehouse, there was an old train ticket that was from Henderson Nevada. Jason traveled all the way to Nevada to find Tim and he'll be damned if he isn't there. However, there is one problem.

How the hell was he supposed to find Tim in Henderson, Nevada?

~~ ******************* ~~

"Campbell! You gonna lock up after closin'?" Campbell Turner nodded at Rick Flore, the man who owns the hole-in-the-wall bar he works at. Rick was a burly looking man with a large bald spot on the top of his head. It was so big that some of his employees believed they should land a remote-controlled helicopter on it. Rick gave Campbell a firm nod before waving goodbye and making his way home.

Campbell finished cleaning the dishes and locked up. Campbell sprinted to his one-bedroom apartment and quickly took off his wig.

Jason sighed as he sat down in one of the mangled and stain-covered chairs in the temporary apartment. He has been undercover as "Campbell Turner" for three months and he has found no sign of Tim. Tim who has now been missing for nearly four months in total.

All the Bats have been searching for him, hell, even the Teen Titans have been looking for Tim but have come up with nothing. Most residents of the superhero community have told him that Tim doesn't want to be found. But that can't be true.

Right?

Right?

Tim wouldn't do that. He wouldn't leave his family to wonder whether or not he was alive or kidnapped or-

worse.

~~ ******************* ~~

Jason has been undercover for five months.

And he just got a tip-off.

Since he went under, Jason has been tracking the whereabouts of the heroin distributor he found in connection to the warehouse Red Robin was last seen in Gotham. It took five weeks to establish an informant ring and nine weeks to start building a stronger case with all the evidence he had been given.

Tonight was the night that months of investigative work would finally pull-through.

Red Hood used his grappling gun to swing to a fairly small apartment building in Henderson Nevada. Once he landed, Hood crouched and made his way to the closest window. As he peered through, he saw no sign of inhabitance. Jason couldn't decide whether or not that was a bad thing.

Before he could even push the window open, the oak wood door opened and three large men walked into the room with two fairly scrawny guys following the larger men into the room.

Red Hood tapped the right side of his helmet, triggering the facial recognition software that Tim installed when he was bored and wanted to mess around with that particular coding.

"Didn't he say he would be here soon?" One of the three larger men nagged. He got two nods of agreement and two hateful glares in return.

"Don't rush him-" A smaller guy barked, "we'll get our money no matter what."

The large man grumbled but stayed silent.

"Getting impatient, are we?"

Red Hood became startled when a new voice entered the conversation.

Red Hood never gets startled.

Someone raised by THE Batman, should not be startled easily.

"W-what? No. No! Of-Of course not!" Arnold McKinney stuttered out. Okay, facial recognition software is working.

The mystery man, who has refrained from revealing himself, chuckled, "You don't have to justify your actions. I understand."

Arnold nodded and stayed silent.

"Although-" The mystery man continued, "I do find one thing just as ridiculous as your parts in this scheme."

All men in the room exchanged looks. Well-besides Jason. Then again, who would he exchange dramatic looks with, the plant on the window sill?

"Wh-What do you mean?" Eckford Langs asked.

"It's ridiculous that you did no further research and actually believed me to be your employer." The man said before stripping himself of his hooded cloak.

…

"What the shit?"

"Why the hell is Red Robin buying heroin from us?"

"Timmy?"


	2. 404 N0T F0VND

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jason may have found Red Robin, but did he really find Tim?

Jason watched, mortified, as Tim, decked out in a new Red Robin costume, threw bright red pellets that seemed to be emitting electrical currents, at all the men in the room. All men fell to the floor in an instant, allowing Red Robin to pick up all the cargo off of the floor to inspect it.

Jason seemed to have finally snapped out of his reverie as he finally stepped away from the window and revealed himself to his supposed little brother. If the man standing before Jason was surprised, he most certainly did not show it while wearing the seemingly new mask.

Being this close, Jason was able to see the new Red Robin get-up. The inner parts of the armor gave the appearance of a robin's red belly as there was only red around his chest and abs. The rest of the costume was black, minus the utility strap that spread in an 'X' shape across his chest just like the original, only this new one was gray. As for the cowl, it was gone. Replaced with a crimson mask to match the red on his chest. Tim's longish hair was cut short into a gelled-up spike cut with one red streak on the left side. All-in-all, this new Red Robin seemed much more dangerous than the anxiety stricken Tim Drake the Bat Family has been searching for.

"Jason." Red Robin nodded respectfully as if he was greeting a teacher and not his brother that he hasn't seen in months.

Jason grit his teeth and clenched his fists in a way to calm himself, "That's how you greet me?" Red Robin tilted his head to the side like a friggin puppy. Jason mentally scoffed, "I haven't seen you in months. Hell, I haven't even heard from you in months! Have you been here this whole time? In some jank-ass town in Nevada? And better yet, why are you purchasing heroin? You're not actually a dumbass, you gotta have a reason, Timmy. Please tell me you have a reason."

Seeing his little brother in a position of buying the specific type of drug stirred something deep inside of Jason. Memories of his mother haunted his conscience in ways he never wanted to talk about. So seeing his brother as a buyer made Jason itch. 

Red Robin remained impassive throughout Jason's rant before replying, "I am not buying heroin, Jason. I may have been gone for a little bit, but you should be relieved to know that I have not become an addict in that time," Jason was relieved but the news but remained disgruntled because of the way Tim spoke. He sounded too much like Batman. Not Bruce. _Batman_.

"What the fuck happened to you, kid."

With that statement, Jason finally got a reaction from Tim, but it was not the one he was expecting. Tim laughed. Laughed like the fucking Joker. Laughed like someone just told the greatest joke on this planet. Chills ran down Jason's spine like tendrils.

Tim raised an armored hand and jabbed a finger in Jason's chest.

"That," he continued to laugh, "is why I left." Jason stared at him confusedly. What happened to him? "I'm not a fucking kid anymore, Jason! I'm not someone who can be pushed around or coddled! You treated me like a piece of glass that someone would throw to the ground and step on! Damian would treat me as if I were an insolent child that he was able to frown upon as if I wasn't older than him and he wasn't a kid! Dick thinks of me as a doll that some eleven-year-old girl would pull the arms off of!" Jason stared in shock as Tim continued his rant. At least he would learn why the baby bird flew off.

"But Bruce, oh, Bruce was the worst! He treated _Tim_ as a child but then expected _Red Robin_ to act as a wise leader. He expected me to act like a rich brat in public and a humble hero at night! Do you know what that can do to someone! I already had to stay quiet and act as if nothing happened behind closed doors when I had my parents, but now I have to be like that with Bruce too!" Jason looked at Tim with sympathy swimming in his eyes, he knew how Tim's parents were assholes, and once again, he was reminded that Tim would never be able to forget that.

Tim gripped the sides of his head and started to slightly tug at his freshly cut hair in frustration, "It messes with my head! Thinking everything will change and thinking I will be away from that emotional torture when I was taken in by Bruce, only to have the same shit occur again just with different wrapping. I didn't want to do that anymore, Jason." He ended on a quieter note.

Jason cautiously walked closer to his younger brother, making sure that Tim would not lash out in his emotionally compromised state. He carefully wrapped his arms around Tim and pulled him to his padded chest. "Shhh, it's okay, Timmy. Why don't we head to where you've been staying? Does that sound good?" Jason could feel the smaller man nod and give him a holo-watch. _'When the fuck were these updated?'_ Jason thought to himself as he inspected the high-tech wristwear.

Tim touched a button that was shaped like an arrow before a GPS appeared on the watch's face. Jason saw that the blue line leads to an apartment building three blocks away. "Okay, baby bird. We'll be there soon." Jason ran his hand through Tim's hair, remembering that it calmed him and pulled out his grappling gun, getting ready to travel to the apartment.

~~ ******************* ~~

Jason finally landed on the top fire escape of the run-down apartment complex and inspected each window sill, seeing if he could decipher which one belonged to the younger male in his arms. Sensing the hesitance in Jason's stance, Tim pointed towards one of the window sills to Jason right that had a strange potted plant on it.

"You know," Jason remarked as he made his way towards the window carefully, "that succulent is a sign that you are becoming emotionally unstable. I mean, next, you'll be putting up eucalyptus candles and dream catchers. Damn, Timmy, Alfred would not be proud." Jason didn't have to look to know that Tim was currently giving him a glare that would make any other grown man shed a tear.

"I'm just kidding," Jason said placatingly, "kinda."

He used Tim's foot, who let out something akin to a whine, to pry open the window and stepped through before taking a long look round. The apartment was darkened without a single light on. The only light source was what peaked through the open window along with the cold gusts of wind that would normally accompany Gotham at night.

Jason made his way to what he thought was a couch, he was correct, and placed Tim on it before going on a short journey, ten seconds, to find the light switch.

Once the room was fully illuminated, he was finally able to fully inspect that small apartment. To his left was a kitchen just big enough for maybe two people, a dining room table that was small but looked comfortable enough for one to enjoy a dinner on it, and a small bookshelf with miscellaneous books placed on it. To his right, the plush couch that Tim was now laying on, a larger bookshelf with an identical one right next to it. All in all, the place was very bleak but livable.

Jason took off his helmet and mask, placing them on the dining table along with his jacket and made his way over to the couch his little brother was occupying. He sighed as he lifted Tim's legs, sitting in their place, and placed them over his lap. Tim stayed quiet. Jason stayed just as quiet. Both of them mulling over the currents of thoughts and memories that were no-doubt washing over them.

Jason was remembering the day he learned Tim was gone. He remembered the aching pain of dread that flooded his senses; his mouth felt dry, he could feel his pulse in his hears and he smelt a coppery smell akin to blood.

Tim was remembering the day he chose to leave. At first, he planned on leaving for a few days, but then he was reminded of how his family and friends treated him and he wanted to prove that he was not a child by living on his own. Tim moved to this new town to start a new life where no one knew him enough to treat him as if he were a petulant child. He was watching that drug ring for over two weeks before he caught them. Now Jason has found him. Why did things always have to go wrong? He was doing so well too! He hasn't hurt himself in a month and he didn't let his depression control him once. Not once! Why did this have to happen? Why did Jason have to find him? And why is he feeling homesick?

Jason looked down at Tim and the two held each other's gazes. Both searching the other's for solutions to their unanswered questions, as if a single look had the ability to tell all.

Almost like he found what he was looking for, proof maybe, Jason took a deep breath and squeezed his eyes shut before opening them once more and looking at Tim with hesitance in his eyes. Like he were about to say something that would penetrate all emotional barriers Tim had worked so hard to build up.

"Do you want to go home?"

For once...

Tim's overworked mind went silent.


	3. Reconciliation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim makes a decision and returns to the Wayne Manor. His homecoming is much warmer than he expected.

Tim's mind was at war with itself. On one hand, he could stay in his current apartment and remain alone.

In isolation.

But, on the other hand, he could go back to the manor with Jason and stay with his family again. He could see Alfred, Dick, Bruce…Damian. He actually wouldn't mind seeing Damian.

Which actually surprised himself.

Jason was still awaiting a final answer. But what if he gave the wrong one? What if he let his feelings get the best of him, leading him to say yes, only to find that Jason was the only one to want him to return to Gotham?

What if he said no, leading all of his family to resent his entire existence. He would not be welcomed back to the manor, this could be his last chance.

Tim knew that Jason must have spent a long time searching for him, he made sure to cover his tracks extremely well. Does Jason really care that much about him? His older brother left Gotham just to find him. Jason left his home, just to bring him back to it.

But, as he thought earlier, what if Jason were to be the only one who wants him back?

Jason stared at his troubled little brother patiently. Knowing the nineteen-year old's anxiety, Jason could only suspect nothing less of a battle was currently occurring in the young adult's mind. He wanted to grab him and wrap him up in his arms, whether if it were for Tim or himself, he would never know.

The older man spent so long searching for him that he never thought whether or not Tim would want to come back. Sure, he thought there might be some surprise, maybe some tears mixed in, but not once did he think that he would have to carry his little brother back to his apartment to await his final answer.

He had fantasized about him finding his little brother and bringing him back to Gotham with not much of a fight. The two would discuss where Tim had been, what crazy stories Jason built for his undercover identity, what the others were up to, and then they would return home.

Jason now realized how this would not be the case. His little brother was going through something. Something that he and the other members of their family caused. 

So he waited.

He waited because its the best thing he could possibly do at that moment.

He waited because he missed his little brother.

He waited because Tim needed to know that he was needed.

Finally, after nearly half an hour, Tim looked up at Jason with finality leaking through his spine.

"I want to go home."

~~ ******************* ~~

Jason stretched his back and complained about his aching spine for the fourth time after placing the third and final bag in the trunk of his rental car. He and Tim were just finishing up packing all of the younger's stuff, which honestly wasn't a lot. But after sitting on an uncomfortable chair all night without sleeping, he totally believed he had a good excuse for his whining.

And at that moment, Jason couldn't decide which was worse; Tim teasing him about being too old to carry the bags or Tim teasing him about his rental car.

It was a fucking minivan.

Get over it, Tim.

Jason jumped into the driver's seat and started the car. Before pulling out of his parking space, Jason glanced at Tim beside him in the passenger seat, "Are you sure this is what you want?"

Tim nodded, "Yeah, I mean, we already packed up all my shit." He grinned. It was the first real, honest to God grin he had seen cross Tim's features for months.

Jason shrugged and pulled out of the parking space, thus, leaving Tim's apartment and his old life.

"Damn," Jason scolded himself, "that sounded cheesy as fuck. Might as well just have a Hallmark movie marathon while we're at it."

~~ ******************* ~~

It took the two brothers around thirty-nine hours, three traffic violations, two speeding tickets, six Red Bulls, sixteen cups of coffee, five of Jason's road-rage-rants ("Tim, look at this piss-ant. Look at him. Now imagine me choking him with his own seatbelt") before they finally made it to Gotham.

Tim looked out the window the whole time they were driven through downtown Gotham. He thought that he would have forgotten most of the city he used to protect, so he was pleasantly surprised to find he remembered everything about her. Maybe she didn't want him to forget her.

"Are you fuckin' serious! Get the hell out of the road if you're gonna be a dumbass! Oh, you little shit. I will break that finger and shove it so far up your ass that it will be fingering your throat!"

Oh yeah. He definitely missed Gotham. Especially her varying inhabitants. 

~~ ******************* ~~

Once the two brothers drove up to the Wayne gates, Tim felt all air leave his body. No, it did not feel like someone punched him in the gut as everyone says in books or TV shows, it felt like Superman was stepping on his chest.

"Tim, you cool?" Jason asked. If Tim wanted to go back to the boring-ass apartment, he would buy a bus ticket ASAP. He loved his little brother but Jason was definitely not going to be driving again for at least a week.

Tim nodded and swallowed. What if they didn't want to see him? Sure it's expected from Damian, but what if Bruce doesn't want to see him? Hell, what if Dick doesn't want to see him? What if-

"Do you need a second? Maybe a warm towelette to make you feel more comfortable? Or would you prefer a foot rub? Please, take your time,"

Tim groaned and thought about slamming his head onto the dashboard but just crawled over Jason to roll down the window and press the buzzer, notifying Alfred that someone was at the gate.

"'Ey! Get your boney kneecaps off of me!"

"Mr. Wayne is not expecting any guests today."

Tim ignored Jason trying to pull him off his lap in favor of answering Alfred, "It's Tim, Alfred. Oh, and-dammit Jason, stop that!"

Jason grabbed Tim's sides, which as he knew, were his most ticklish spot. Without a reply from the intercom, a buzzer noise emitted from the gates as it opened for the car's two occupants.

Jason threw Tim into the passenger seat, emitting an indignant huff from the younger of the two, and drove forward. They barely even stopped the car when Alfred pulled the manor's doors open and walked to the car with barely concealed urgency.

Tim and Jason stepped out of the car and were instantly engulfed by their beloved grandfather figure.

It's not every day that Alfred ceases his refined personality, even if for a split second, so both of the man's pseudo-grandchildren returned the hug, no questions.

"I'm glad you have decided to return, even if you needed a," Alfred glanced over at Jason thoughtfully, "push."

That's what Tim loved about Alfred. He didn't ask any questions. He doesn't need to because he already knows. You wanna keep a secret in this house? Good luck. But not even Batman can keep a secret from Alfred.

Alfred all but dragged Tim and Jason inside and shoved them into the living room chairs before he went into the kitchen, probably thinking they were hungry.

Tim looked around the mansion he hasn't seen in months. The furniture was the same, no dust thanks to Alfred, the grandfather clock was still in its place, blocking the Bat Cave from view.

_"Tt."_

Tim looked to his left and saw Damian. Jason put his hand on Tim's shoulder placatingly. He remembers how Tim and Damian would always fight with not just words but fists as well. Although the two had definitely started to reach some kind of understanding before Tim flew the coop, he did not need those two fighting after being back home for just five minutes.

"Damian," Tim acknowledged, "It's good to see you again." Maybe he was trying to get along with Damian. Lord help him.

…

Jason stared between the two as neither moved or said anything. Before the tension in the atmosphere could become any thicker, the grandfather clock moved to the side, allowing Dick and Bruce to exit the BatCave.

Once the two set their sights on Tim and Jason, their eyes widened comically. Just as expected, Dick sprinted towards the two, about to grab Tim in a hug and most likely check to make sure he was physically okay-

when he was intercepted by Damian.

Damian had his arms wrapped around Tim's midsection, in an awkward hug, but it was a hug nonetheless.

_A hug from Damian._

"I am pleased that you were not eradicated, Drake. I am to be the one to end your life if the occasion arises." And with that, Damian quickly let go of Tim and retreated into the kitchen, probably to either help or insult Alfred's cooking.

All remaining family members in the living room looked at the kitchen door in shock.

Jason looked at Bruce questioningly, "What happened to the hellspawn when we were gone?"

The man shrugged, "Nothing. I think he was actually worried about Tim."

Dick, Jason, and Bruce looked at Tim as if he won an award.

"What?" Tim asked.

"Why did he hug you?" Dick most certainly did not pout as he crossed his arms.

Tim rolled his eyes, "Gee, it's good to see you too, Dick."

As if he finally remembered that he was about to encase Tim in a bone-crushing hug, Dick pulled Tim into the long-overdue brotherly embrace.

Tim was immediately flooded with a sense of security. A feeling he had missed while living off the radar. 

When Dick released Tim, Bruce stared him down with his calculating gaze. Tim realized that he was using the look he reserves for criminals when Batman is interrogating them. Not backing down, Tim sent Bruce his own glare.

He did not come back to Gotham just to be treated like a petulant child once again.

After their heated stare down, surprisingly, Bruce was the first to back down, seeing as he was not going to win without a fight.

"Welcome back." He placed a large calloused hand on Tim's shoulder in a friendly gesture that the younger took gratefully.

"I'm glad to be back." Tim smiled, relieved that he was still accepted in the manor.

Bruce gave a small smile and led him to the kitchen where food was most likely waiting to be eaten. "But I would like to know what happened."

"And I would like to know what happened to your hair. Going through a long-overdue rebellious phase, little brother?"

Tim knew those questions were expected and so he nodded as to not dampen the mood. After all, he should be ecstatic! Damian hugged him.

And he was back where he belongs.

Home.


End file.
